Reversible sliding door and window construction



Feb. 27, 196s H, M. RIEGELMAN 3,370,333

REVERSIBLE SLIDING DOOR AND WINDOW CONSTRUCTION Filed Feb. 3, 1965 Tram/5K6 United States Patent 3,370,383 REVERSBLE SLE-SING DR AND WINDW CONSTRUCTGN Harry lli. liegelrnan, Railing Hills, Calif., assigner to Ader Corporation, Fullerton, Calif., a corporation of Caliornia Filed Feb. 3, i965, Ser. No. 436,126 12 Claims. (Cl. t9-425) This invention re.ates generally to sliding closure members, and more particularly to improvements in reversible sliding sash construction r windows, doors and the like.

Sliding door and window construction commonly includes an aluminum-framed glass door or window which slides open from a lock jamb in a direction towards a normally fixed glass panel, usually closely adjacent and parallel thereto. Both the sliding sash and the fined panel are normally mounted in a casing conventionally set in an openinU in the wall of the building. Rollers are normally mounted in the lower rail member of the sli-ding sash, and the casing is usually provided `with cooperating means, such as a parallel upstanding lin in the sill member of the casing, which acts as a runner for the bottom rollers of the sash.

Sliding sashes can be installed to open from left to right, or right to lett, according to the necessity imposed by surrounding structures, or as desired. Moreover, the sliding sash must be set squarely (through adiustable rollers) for proper operation within the casing. if the casing is intentionally constructed out of square in following an inclined course and resembles a parallelogram, the sash must of course be made to conform. Otherwise, the out of square condition encountered gives rise to several problems. First, when the stile of the closure member meets the jamb of the metal frame, the stile will not seat itself parallel to the jamb, and drafts and cold air may readily enter through the gap between the jamb and the stile. Secondly, typical locking mechanisms aixed to the stile usually have a projection adapted to engage a locking groove in the door or window frame or in the mullion of a stationary panel. However, if the metal frame is out of square, the locking projection will not be readily accepted by the locking groove, thus making locking of the slidable closure member diliicult, if not practically impossible.

Hence, it is clearly desirable that a sliding sash have individually adjustable rollers in order to obtain the close adjustment necessary to meet an out of square condition. Such sashes are particularly useful when they can be readily reversed with little or no structural modifications,

While adjustable rollers for slidable closure -members are, per se, well known in the building industry, such rollers have not heretofore proven entirely satisfactory from the standpoints of economy, reliability, range and ease of adjustment, and smoothness of roller action.

Accordingly, it is an object or" the present invention to provide a new and improved sliding sash construction which overcomes the above and other disadvantages of the prior art.

Another object is to provide a reversible sliding sash for doors, windows or the like, which can be readily installed in the casing to open from either left to right or right to left.

' A further object of this invention is the provision of a reversible sliding sash having adjustable rollers which can be easily adjusted to square the sash within the casing in which it slides.

Still another object iS to provide a new and improved roller means for a sliding sash which permits highly eective, nonbinding movement of the sash along the casing in which it is mounted.

Yet another object of this invention is the provision of 31,3 ,383? garenne rei. 2r, lass .dal

a relatively simple, economical, and reliable roller means for a sliding sash which permits easy adjust-ment over a wide vertical range to compensate the sash for the out of square condition ot the frame in which it is adapted to slide.

The above and other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing of an illustrative embodiment thereof, and wherein:

FIGURE l is a side elevational view of a sliding sash window construction in accordance with the present invention, as observed from the inside of a building in which the window is mounted;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged, partial sectional view, taken along the line 2 2 in FIGURE 1, and illustrates the adjustable roller means at the lower right corner of the sliding sash;

FIGURE 3 is a partial, sectional view of the sliding sash and sill, taken along the line 3 3 in FIGURE 2;

FGURE 4 is an enlarged, partial sectional view of the roller means, taken along the line 4 4 in FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of a new and improved roller means in accordance with the present invention; and

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view through the roller means, taken along the line `6 6 in FIGURE 5.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to FGURE l thereof, the construction embodying the invention is shown as a window by way of illustration only, and is not to be construed as limiting the invention. The window construction includes an outer window frame or casing l@ which is set in an appropriate opening in the wall i2 of a building. The casing 10 is preferably fabricated from extruded aluminum head, sill and jamb frame members i3, 14, 15, respectively, which are suitably formed to provide cooperating ilanges, ridges and channels that engage and accommodate a movable left hand window sash or panel 16 and a normally fixed window panel 17. The jambs 15 of the casing 10 may be aixed to the head i3 and sill i4 in any suitable manner, as by corner screws or the like (not shown).

The sliding sash lo is also preferably fabricated from extruded aluminum frame members including left and right stile members 18, 2li, respectively, and upper and lower rail members 22, Zal, respectively. The stiles 18, 2li are secured to the rails 22, 24 in any appropriate manner, as by the corner Screw 26 shown in FIGURE 2.

Referring now more particularly to FEGURES 2 5, the frame of the sliding sash lo has two individually adjustable roller means 3i) aixed to the stile at each lower corner thereof. Each of these roller means 3Q is vertically adjustable along the stile in which it is mounted, to control the height of the sash corner at which the partrcular roller means is located. In this manner, the Sash le can be aligned within the casing lo regardless of the out of square condition ofthe casing.

As best observed in FIGURES 4 6, the roller means 3d comprises a mol-ded, one-piece plastic roller body 32, preferably fabricated from nylon or the like. The roller body 3?. has a generally elongated rectangular crosssection and is formed with an elongated channel 34 of a prescribed width. The channel 34 extends from the base of the roller body 32 approximately half way up the roller body, and thus divides the lower part 0f the roller body into a pair of parallel, resilient walls 36, 38.

The inside face of each of the walls 35, 3S dened oy the channel 34 is provided with integral half axles 4d, 42, respectively, which normally abut each other to dene a single axle for mounting a wheel 44 and to prevent inward flexing ofthe walls 36, 33.

The wheel 44 is also preferably made 0f nylon or other tough plastic material, and the wheel is provided with a central aperture adapted to receive the half axles 49, 42 when the wheel is installed within the roller body 3i). The thickness of the wheel 44 is slightly less than the normal spacing between inside faces of the walls 36, 38.

Y In order to mount the wheel 44 upon the half axles 4l), 42, the normally parallel walls 36, 38 are spread apart to permit'insertion of the wheel 44 between the walls in a'manner enabling the half axles to enter the central aperture of the wheel. Once this has been done, the walls 36, 38 are permitted to return to their normal parallel state. This brings the leading ends of the half axles 4G, 42, into abutment with each other to prevent further inward movement of the walls 36, 38. Hence, the wheel 44 rotates freely within the channel 34 of the roller body 30 with` no tendency whatsoever to bind against either of the roller body walls 36, 38.

As best observed in FIGURES 2 and 4, the stile 2t) includes a pocket 46 defined between an inner stile cross member 4S and a pair of outer guide flanges S0, 52 which run the entire length of the stile extrusion. A portion of the roller body 32 is housed within the pocket 46 and moves along the stile guide flanges St), 52. When the roller body 32 is in the desired position, a nut 54 (preferably of metal) is drawn tightly against the inside faces of the guide fianges S0, 52 by means of an adjusting screw 56 whichV passes through the roller body 32 and into threaded engagement with the nut S4.

In order to enable the roller body 32 to move along the stile 2) in the space between the guide iianges 50, 52, opposite sides of the roller body are provided with longitudinal guide grooves S8, 60 extending the full height of the roller body and adapted to mate in sliding engagement with the corresponding stile guide flanges 50, 52, respectively.

In addition, a pocket 62, extending between and intersecting the grooves 58, 6i), is formed in the roller body 32 at the upper end thereof to house the nut 54 within the roller body.

The cooperation between the stile flanges 50, 52 and the roller body guide grooves 58, 60 enables smooth, easy movement of the roller means 30 vertically along the stile. When the desired position of tbe roller means 30 along any particular stile has been reached, the screw 56 is rotated to wedge the stile flanges 50, S2 between one face of the nut 54 and the opposite roller body walls defining the guide grooves 58, 60. The clamping action obtained thereby is highly etcient and reliable. The metal nut 54 bites into the metal of the stile fianges 50, 52 and is not prone to looseness induced by vibration encountered during use of the window.

In order to limit the vertical travel of the roller means 30 along the stile, the lower end of the roller body 32 Y is provided with a pair of horizontally outwardly extending, integral limit tabs 64, 66 projecting from the outer faces ofthe walls 36, 38, respectively.

Since the roller means 30 are completely interchangeable and may be mounted in any corner of the sash frame, the sash 16 is readily reversible for either left to right or right to left sliding movement within the casing 10. All that is necessary in order to reverse the sash 16 is to remove the sash, rotate the sash 180 about an axis perpendicular to the plane of the sash, remove the roller means 30 from the two corners of the sash. which were previously at the bottom (now on top), and re-install the roller means 30 in each of the new Vbottom corners of the sash.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that, while a particular form of my invention has been illustrated and described, various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention. Accordingly, I do not intend that my invention be limited, except as by the appended claims.

I claim:

l. vIn a reversible Sliding sash having normally upper and lower rail members and normally left and right stile members, the combination comprising:

a pair of guide anges extending vertically along each stile member;

roller means having a pair of longitudinal guide grooves adapted to be engaged yby the pair of flanges at the lower end of each stile, each roller means being vertically slidable along its respective stile; and means for selectively clamping each roller means in any desired vertical position along the respectiv stile mem-ber. Y 2. In a reversible sliding sash having normally upper and lower rail members and normally left and right stile members, the combination comprising:

a pair of roller means, each roller means being mounted at the lower end of one of said stile members in sliding engagement therewith; and releasable clamping means including a nut trapped within each roller means for locking each roller means in an adjusted position along its respective stile member. Y t 3. In a reversible sliding sash having normally upper and lower rail members and normally left and right stile members, the combination comprising:

a pair of spaced apart guide flanges extending vertically along the outer s-urface of each stile member and defining a clearance space between said guide anges; Y t

a roller means for each stile member, each roller means having longitudinal grooves in mating engagement with the pair of guide flan-ges at the lower end of each stil member;

and releasable clamping means within each roller means for locking each roller means in its adjusted position along its respective stile member, said clamp- Y a pair of roller bodies, each roller .body having longi.

tudinal grooves in mating engagement with the guide flanges at the lower end of one of said stile members; releasable clamping means within each roller body for locking each roller body in an adjusted position along its respective stile member, said vclampingv means including a metal nut trapped (within each roller body and a bolt extending through said roller body into engagement with said metal nut;

and a wheel mounted for rotation at the lower end of each roller body.

5. In a sliding sash having Yupper and lower rail members and normally left and right stile members, an adjustable bottom roller arrangement, comprising:

a cross member within each stile member;

a pair of spaced apart guide flanges at thev outer face of each said stile member and defining a pocket in each stile member between said guide anges and said cross member;

adjustable roller means for each stile` member, each said roller means including a roller body having a wheel rotatably mounted at its lower end and a pocket containing a nut at its upper end, said roller means further including a pair of longitudinal grooves delined in opposite sides or" said roller body, the walls defining said grooves being in slidingrengagement with said guide flanges, said grooves communicating with said pocket containing said nut;

and a bolt passing through each roller body into threaded engagement with the nut within said roller body to selectively clamp said guide flanges between said nut and the walls defining said longitudinal grooves. 6. ln a sliding sash having upper and lower rail members and normally left and right stile members, an adjustable bottom roller arrangement, comprising:

a cross member within each stile member and extending the full length of said stile member;

a pair of spaced apart guide flanges at the outer face of each stile member and defining a pocket along the full length of said stile member between said guide fianges and said cross member;

roller means for each stile member, each roller means including a plastic roller body having a wheel rotatably mounted at its lower end and a pocket containing a metal nut at its Aupper end, each roller means further including a pair of longitudinal grooves defined in opposite sides of said roller body, the walls defining said grooves being in sliding engagement with said guide anges, said grooves communieating with said pocket containing said nut;

and a bolt passing through each roller body into threaded engagement with the mit within said roller body to selectively clamp said guide Han-ges between said nut and the walls defining said longitudinal grooves. i

7. A roller means for a sliding sash, comprising:

an elongated roller body having an elongated channel opening at its lower end defined by exi'ble side walls, said side Walls having inner and outer faces;

a pair of aligned half axles integral with said side walls and extending from the inner faces thereof, said half axles being normally in abutment with each other to limit the inward movement of said side walls;

and a roller mounted for rotation upon said half axles within said channel opening, the thickness of said roller bein-g less than the width of said channel opening. Y

8. A roller means for a sliding sash, comprising:

an elongated roller body having a pair of longitudinal guide grooves extending the full length of said roller Ibody on opposite sides thereof, and a pocket formed at the upper end of said roller body and communicating with said guide grooves;

a wheel mounted for rotation at the lower end of said .roller body;

a nut within said pocket;

and a bolt passing through said roller body and into said pocket in threaded engagement with said nut.

9. A roller means for a sliding sash, comprising:

an elongated plastic roller body having a pair of longitudinal guide grooves extending the full length of said roller body on opposite sides thereof, and a pocket formed at the upper end of said roller body and communicating with said guide grooves;

a wheel mounted for -rotation at the lower end of said roller body;

a metal nut within said pocket;

and a bolt passing through said roller body and into said pocket in threaded engagement with said metal nut.

10. A roller means for a sliding sash, comprising:

an elongated roller body having an elongated channel opening at its lower end defined by flexible side Walls, said side walls having inner and outer faces, said roller body also having a pair of longitudinal guide grooves extending the full length of said roller body along the outer faces of said side walls, and a pocket dened in said roller body at the upper end thereof, said pocket communicating with said guide grooves;

a pair of coaxial half axles integral with said side walls and projecting from the inner faces thereof, said half axles being normally in abutment with each other to limit the inward movement of said side walls;

a roller rotatably mounted upon said half axles, said roller having a thickness less than the width of said elongated channel;

a nut trapped within said pocket;

and a bolt passing through said roller body into threaded engagement with said nut within said pocket.

11. A roller means for a sliding sash, comprising:

an elongated plastic roller body having an elongated channel opening at its lower end defined by fiexible side walls, said side walls having inner and outer faces, said roller body also having a pair of longitudinal guide grooves extending the full length of said roller body along the outer faces of said side walls, and a pocket defined in said roller body at the upper end thereof, said pocket communicating with said guide grooves;

a pair of aligned half axles integral with said side walls and projecting from the inner faces thereof, said half axles being normally in abutment with each other to limit the inward movement of said side walls;

a plastic roller mounted upon said half axles for rotation within said elongated channel, said roller having a thickness less than the width of said channel;

a metal nut trapped within said pocket;

and a bolt passing through said roller body into threaded engagement with said nut within said pocket.

12. A roller means as set forth in clairn 11, including at least one horizontally directed tab integral with said roller body and extending outwardly from the outer face of one of said side walls.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,237,595 4/1941 Dyer l5l-41.76 3,040,391 6/ 1962 Saunders 49-425 3,097,401 7/ 1963 Rie gelman 49-425 3,111,209 11/ 1963 Riegeiman 49-425 DAViD J. WILLIAMOWSKY, Primary Examiner.

A. I. BREIER, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A REVERSIBLE SLIDING SASH HAVING NORMALLY UPPER AND LOWER RAIL MEMBERS AND NORMALLY LEFT AND RIGHT STILE MEMBERS, THE COMBINATION COMPRISING: A PAIR OF GUIDE FLANGES EXTENDING VERTICALLY ALONG EACH STILE MEMBER; ROLLER MEANS HAVING A PAIR OF LONGITUDINAL GUIDE GROOVES ADAPTED TO BE ENGAGED BY THE PAIR OF FLANGES AT THE LOWER END OF EACH STILE, EACH ROLLER MEANS BEING VERTICALLY SLIDABLE ALONG ITS RESPECTIVE STILE; AND MEANS FOR SELECTIVELY CLAMPING EACH ROLLER MEANS IN ANY DESIRED VERTICAL POSITION ALONG THE RESPECTIVE STILE MEMBER. 